One
by hannahbbug3
Summary: "One person can only accomplish so much." The myrmidon tilted his head, a teasing smile on his face. "Well, there are two of us now." Three part fic about how Leonardo and Edward of the Dawn Brigade met. Mainly Leo-centric, PLATONIC. K plus for some mild violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, guys. As of late, I have been taking a break from writing anything at all related to my SornxLucia story, but I plan on getting back on it in the next couple of days. Until then, I have this.**

**It's a three part fic about Leonardo, the archer of the Dawn Brigade. He actually has a pretty interesting backstory, and when I found that out, I thought I could expand on what it might be. Thus, this.**

**Idea for the title and the theme comes from the base conversation in one of the beginning chapters, in the desert, when Leo tells Eddie that "one person can only do so much". Eddie will show up later.**

**All names that are not canon are ones I made up for the sake of backstory.**

**I do not own Fire Emblem. If I did, Soren would smile more.**

* * *

"Leo! It's time to head in for the day! Put your bow back in the storeroom, you've had enough practice."

"Only a few more shots!" The blonde archer turned pleading blue eyes onto the face of his mentor, Zephyr. "I'm getting better!"

"Of course you are, as would anyone who practices as much as you do," he said.

Leo's eyes shut for a moment. "Well, I don't have anything else to do," he said. He notched another arrow. "With conditions as the way they are, archery seems to be the only thing that distracts my mind from everything else."

His mentor came to his side. "You know, Leo, it's never good to hold things in. You need a kind ear?" he asked, looking to the boy. The young archer had recently become his charge. Leonardo had been the son of a noble, but that had all changed in the war. Now with both of his parents dead, the only place Leo had to come was the military school that his father had sent him to right before the war broke out. When the boy had learned that the fighting had reached the city of his parent's home, he'd taken a short leave from the academy to go see if they were all right. He'd come back in a state of misery.

But Leo only shook his head. "I don't want to speak of it." He had been incredibly close to his family. And now they were gone. Zephyr knew this. He watched as Leo let a few more arrows fly, the clapped his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Things would have been different if you were there," he said.

"Yes. There would have been three deaths instead of two."

Zephyr frowned. "Don't doubt your abilities, Leo. They will carry you far."

"One person can only do so much."

"Yes, but…"

"I am ready to go in, now," Leonardo said. "This was a nice conversation, Master Zephyr."

"Right. Let's go in for supper."

Soon after these words, there was a cry from the main building. "Beginion soldiers! Help! They're attacking!"

Running their way was another student, with a huge gash in his side. "They're attacking!" he cried. Zephyr and Leo ran over to him.

"Th-they got me…" he murmured, looking to the wound, which gushed blood. "I-I can't…" He collapsed, in shock from blood loss. Zephyr caught him and handed him to Leonardo.

"Get out of here," he said. "Take your bow. Beginion will not stay their weapons, not even for children…" He had said the last bit to himself, but Leo heard it.

"Master, let me go with you!" he said, trotting after Zephyr as he started towards the academy. The man shook his head.

"I'll send as many as I can to the woods after you. You have to escape when you have the chance! Now, go!" he said.

Leo was never one to disobey. He turned and started for the cover of the forest, in a slow walk. He heard shouts, all at once, and then saw torchlight. He turned, seeing soldiers barreling up the hill towards them.

He made a mad dash for the woods, traveling as fast as he could with the weight of the other boy in his arms. He was faintly aware that the front of his shirt was now covered in blood, and thought that he should maybe do something to slow the other's bleeding, but it would have to wait until they were to safety.

The shouts grew louder. The soldiers were gaining on him. He heard a whizzing sound by his head, but did not stop to look. He knew the sound of an arrow when it flew. This one had just barely missed his neck. He didn't think about it. He didn't think about the fact that someone had just tried to kill him.

His feet carried him into the woods, but his pursuers continued the chase. This was mad, the archer thought. How could they be so driven to go after him? One person running away, when there was an entire academy of people behind them? Terror rose in his chest. They weren't about to let anyone escape. They were going to massacre everyone. Including himself.

He pushed the thought back, concentrating on running. He carved a path of zigzags through the trees. He threw himself through the underbrush, hoping it would slow his pursuers more than it did him. His legs grew weary, but he knew he could not stop. Stopping would mean death.

No, don't think about that. You will live, he tried to convince his mind. It wasn't working.

His legs felt dead. The only reason he knew that he was still running was because of the jolt that shook his body every time his feet pounded the ground again.

He tripped. Leo's arms flew out in front of him, dropping the person he'd been holding to catch himself. The rough ground bit into his hands, skinning them. He pushed the pain back, though, and rose once again to shaky legs. He scooped up his wounded classmate and started off again, but only managed a few unsteady steps before his legs gave out. He shuddered as he sat there, just listening. And he realized, due to the lack of the sound of footfalls and shouts behind him, that he must've lost the soldiers.

So he was safe.

Leonardo tried to still his nerves. He was safe. He'd made it. He took a few deep breaths, looking himself over. His hands were skinned horribly, with bits of plant matter and splinters from the forest floor embedded in them. He shuddered again. How would he ever be able to draw his bow for self defense? He tried not to think about it. He was safe now. He had no reason to draw his weapon on someone.

His shirt was covered in red. The sight made him gasp, but then he remembered that it was not his own blood. He turned to the other boy, looking for something to bind the wound with, but halted as he realized that the other archer was no longer bleeding. There wasn't any blood left in him to come out. The boy had died in his arms.

And Leo hadn't even noticed.

He fell to the ground, shock sweeping over him. Why…? Why did death surround him so? He got up shakily, moving to close the other boy's eyelids. He tossed a few fistfuls of dirt over him and said a few words. Leo was no priest, but even he knew that this wasn't enough. He just didn't have the strength, mentally or physically, to do any more.

He pushed the thoughts of sorrow and anguish in the front of his mind back. If he were going to survive this, he would need to keep a level head. And if that meant not thinking about the situation he was in, then so be it.

But suddenly, one thought flew into his mind.

His Master had gone back.

It was suicide. Leonardo hadn't been thinking. He should've joined the man, should've helped. He shouldn't have run like a coward. He should've…

But no. Leo pushed this back as well. One person could only do so much. He would've just been one more casualty. He had to survive. He would live, and that would be enough revenge. Beginion had set out to kill everyone at the academy. He would avenge, through his own survival.

He needed to keep moving. Surely, if they had pursued him through the woods, the soldiers would not give up their hunt so easily. He pushed himself up.

Pain ricocheted up his spine. Leo's legs gave out and he fell, unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

**Heeere's chapter two. I'm not sure how I like this one, it's kind of fast paced... But the next one makes up for that. As a little side note, I wrote this all in one sitting about a year ago, so that might explain some things.**

**Reviews are pretty.**

**Fire Emblem is not mine. If it was, Ike would have more of a personality.**

* * *

"Hey, who's that there?"

"Someone we know?"

"Hey, it's Leo!"

Leonardo was awakened by the voices that were so close. He sat up immediately, looking around. A group of three was running over to him. He was immediately on guard, but relaxed as he saw their clothes. They were all wearing the school uniform, as he was. There were others that had escaped death.

"Leo! Are you alright? You're covered in blood! Are you hurt?" one said to him, concern in his eyes. Leo shook his head.

"N-no… it was his," he said, pointing, but not looking, to the body that lay only a few feet away. Another of the group had gone over, and now his face was paled.

"Piotor…" he murmured.

"He's dead," Leonardo said. The boy nodded, tears in his eyes.

"Y-yeah."

"Come on, Yule. We have to keep moving," another said. The third helped pull Leo to his feet. With his drowsy stupor now worn off, Leo recognized them. Their names were Yule, Jake, and Fabian. He included, they were the only four survivors.

"Woah, are you okay?" Jake asked, holding on to Leo as his legs swayed unsteadily beneath him.

"Yes, I'm alright," he answered quickly. "Just a little sore from running," he excused with a wave of his hand.

"Good grief, Leo! Did you fall?" Fabian asked, noticing the poor condition of the other archer's hands. He dug around in a little bag he had strapped to his belt, not waiting for Leo's answer. "Here, I have some herb salve, I don't know how effective it will be, but it should keep infection off…" he said. Leo held out his hands, trying to cover his grimaces as the raw skin was cleaned as best as was able, treated, and bandaged.

"There," Fabian quickly finished. "Now, we should keep going. Those soldiers are only a few hours behind us," he said.

Jake nodded. "Come on, Yule. We need to go."

Yule stood and came over to them, brushing his tears back. "R-right…" he said. Jake strung Leo's arm over his shoulder to help him walk, and Yule hurried over to take his other one. Fabian walked ahead of them, scouting the way. Leo thought about resisting the help, but as he put pressure on his feet, another wave of pain went through him. So he let the two walk alongside him and pull him deeper into the woods, deeper into safety.

* * *

They walked on for hours, not resting. Finally, Yule began to whine that he was tired and hungry, so they stopped. Fabian took his bow and headed off into the woods to go see if he could get something for them to eat.

They had chosen to rest near a stream. Leo sat down by it, leaning over and letting the clear, sweet water run into his mouth. Yule and Jake did the same. The liquid burned Leo's dry throat as it went down.

"It's cold," Jake commented, sitting back up after a long drink. "Makes my teeth hurt."

"Yeah," Leo nodded, sitting up as well. "It's a good kind of hurt, though," he said. Yule nodded in agreement.

All three jolted as a scream ripped through the air. Yule stood. "Fabian?" he called. When there was no reply, he called louder, panic entering his eyes. "Fabian?" he yelled.

After a pause, Yule darted into the woods, in the direction that his friend had gone. "No!" Jake called after him, starting to give chase. Yule's scream soon echoed Fabian's. Jake gasped, eyes wide as he turned to Leo.

The two of them hightailed it in the opposite direction.

* * *

"This is miserable."

Leo looked up as Jake spoke, though he was barely able to hear the other's voice over the rain. They had decided that Beginion would not march in this weather, so they had kept going to gain ground. However, Jake had slipped in the mud and turned his ankle. So now they had to stop and wait for better conditions. They had selected to rest under a large tree, which had provided dry cover at first. However, as the rain poured on, the leaves had become downtrodden with the rain, and it now dripped onto the two archers. Jake shivered as a drop hit the back of his neck.

"We're not going to make it, you know," he continued. "We're going to die out here."

"If you think it, then it will happen," Leo stated.

Jake gave a harsh laugh. "You can't tell me that you still believe we're going to be the lucky survivors, do you? We haven't slept or eaten in days, Leonardo. We only get short breaks from running, only time enough to drink water from filthy puddles or freezing rivers. And now," he gestured to his foot, "I can't even run anymore."

Leo bit his lip. He listened as Jake continued.

"But you know there's nothing stopping you, Leo. Sure, whatever, I can't believe you think that we're going to live. We won't. But you might," he said. Leo jerked his head up.

"I'm not leaving you."

"Why not? I'll only hold you back. Listen," Jake said, and waited until Leo faced him before continuing. "I'm not going to live. We both know it. With this ankle, there's no way I can outrun those soldiers. So just, do yourself a favor and leave me behind."

"I'm not leaving you."

"…yeah." Jake looked down. He then smiled. "Then don't leave. But when those soldiers catch up to us, you run like mad, okay?"

"…okay," Leo settled for this.

* * *

It wasn't much later than that when the soldiers appeared through the woods. The rain hadn't hindered them much at all. Leonardo sprang to his feet and ran.

Jake's death scream echoed behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the last (and my favorite) bit. THIS is what I wish Eddie and Leo were like, if Radiant Dawn hadn't made the character's personalities so horrid. That is why I write fanfiction, you know. XD**

**Eddie comes now.**

**Fire Emblem is not mine. If it were, Bastian might actually make sense.**

* * *

He was alone now.

He walked on for days, thinking that, surely, he should've come upon a town, and help, by now. And he had… he had reached towns that were burned to the ground, with no one there. He'd stopped long enough to sift through the ashes of the buildings and find something to eat and a few other things; a couple vulneraries, a few bits of gold, a few scattered arrows to add to his quiver; but he couldn't carry much more than that. But it was plenty enough for him. As long as he made it from one day to the next, as long as he had breath in his lungs and a beat in his heart, he'd keep moving.

He'd decided to take shelter in a half-burned home for the night. He'd found sleep at odd times; the first occasion, he had walked and walked until he could not any longer and fell to the ground, asleep at once. After that, he'd decided that sleep was vital. The chance of someone finding him collapsed like that and killing him were too great. He would have to find somewhere to hide and rest before he would let that happen again.

Leo curled up in the corner of the house, resting his head on the ground. It wasn't comfortable, but at least he was dry and out of the wind here. He would nap quickly, and then move out again.

He had no sooner closed his eyes before he was grabbed. He was shaken from his sleep by a hand clamping over his mouth and another gripping his arm like a vice, dragging him outside.

"Here he is! We finally caught the rat!"

Leo shook and struggled, trying to escape the hold of the Beginion soldier, but the effort was fruitless. He was tossed to the ground in a circle of four men, who smiled down at him in joy. Their expressions made him shudder. They were so happy… so glad that they had caught him so that they could end his life. Leo reached for an arrow and his bow. They laughed at him.

"Look! He thinks he's going to fight back!"

Leo stood shakily, looking around. The men were jeering at him. When they noticed he had stood, one rushed over and shoved him to the ground. He just managed to catch himself.

Another man grabbed Leo's blonde hair and shook him, grinning widely as the archer whimpered. Why were they dragging this out? Why not kill him and get it over with? If they did not hurry, Leo was sure that his wildly beating heart would give out and rob the men of the kill.

"St-stop!" he begged, and the men dropped him. Leo grabbed his bow again, holding it close as if it brought him some form of comfort. He had tried, he thought. He had tried to fight back. Someone would find his body, in rigor mortis, with his fingers clamped around the bow, and they would think, poor boy, at least he died fighting.

Not running like some coward.

Leo felt tears on his face for the first time. Throughout the run, despite death around every corner, he had never broken down. But now, with death at his door, he wept.

"S-someone, help!" he cried. The soldiers laughed.

"No one's here to hear you, boy. No one will he-!"

His words had been cut short. Leo looked up, and rose to his feet. Someone HAD heard. Someone was here to help him.

The brunette righted himself after observing that his blade had killed the man that it had run through. He pointed the tip of his sword up, his brown eyes darting between the other three soldiers. He smiled. "Hello."

They wasted no more time in charging the young myrmidon. Leo stood, notched an arrow and let it fly. Three against one wasn't a fair fight. As the arrow met its target and another fell, Leo smiled. Two on two were much better odds. And the swordsman had already felled another. One left. Leo drew out another arrow, but the other boy was faster. He jumped away from the axe that swung at him and dealt a critical blow to the last soldier's chest.

Leonardo watched, astounded. The boy looked up at him with a smile. The expression vanished at once. "Look ou-!"

Leo hadn't seen the other man until it was too late.

* * *

There were nightmares.

Visions of his father, his body charred under the burned remains of his own house. His own house, where he had thought he was safe. His mother's face, dead, her mouth open in the throes of a death scream that had never left her throat. His Master, his body torn to bits by axes. The other archers, their bodies covered in arrows and red. Most vividly, Jake, the last person he had deserted, crying out. 'Leo! Leo! Don't leave me!' And Leo would turn to run back, but his feet were frozen to the ground, and he couldn't turn away as Jake was skewered on a lance, suffering, bleeding, but not dead yet. 'Don't leave me! Don't run away!' And Leo would try to go to him, but his feet would carry himself in only one direction; away. Then, he'd trip, and look back to see what had caused his fall, and see the archer whom he had carried the night of the escape, the one who had bled to death. And his face was the same, but it would slowly turn to him, and whisper a single word.

_'Coward…'_

Leo would scream. He screamed and sobbed and shook and yelled 'I'm sorry! I'm sorry!'. And there would be a voice, and Leo would open his eyes, but he could only see a blur of someone, his father, he thought, reaching out to him, talking. But he did not understand, so he closed his eyes again.

And so it went for days.

_'Coward…'_

_'Coward…'_

"Stop! I'm so sorry!" His own sobbing woke him, and his eyes flew open. The madness terrorized him. He couldn't take anymore…

"Hey, hey, shh…"

He could hear now.

"It's only a dream… wake up, come on, now…"

The words grew clear, like the peal of a bell in a tower. He could understand now.

Leo's eyes blinked open again. The visage in front of him was still blurred, but not so badly as before. He squinted, trying to make out who the other figure in the room was.

"Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

"…y….yes…" the frailty of his own voice startled him. Hadn't he been screaming a moment ago? Where was he? Where were the soldiers? Where were the bodies?

"Oh… good. I'm glad. I thought you were going to die."

Leo opened his mouth to speak again, but found the words stopped as a cup was forced to his lips. He gulped down the water it entered his mouth. When the cup emptied, the other pulled it away, refilled it, and helped him drink again.

When the cup left his lips again, Leo decided to voice the question he'd wanted to ask. "Who… are you?"

He didn't know for sure, but he thought he saw the boy smile. "My name's Edward. I'm the person who saved your hide a week ago," he answered.

"You… you're the swordsman…" Leo put together. "I'm… I'm still alive?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah. You're still alive. You had me scared there for a while, though."

"Thank you…"

"Oh, it was nothing. Now, may I know the name of the person I rescued?"

"Of… course. I'm Leonardo," he replied haltingly. "H-how… how did you… I mean… you came out of nowhere..."

Edward laughed. "Naw, I was just in the area. I had the same idea as you, I suppose, you know, see what I could salvage from those houses. I just happened to come at the right time, for you." He smiled. "Pleasure to meet you, Leonardo."

"N-no… the pleasure's all…" Leo's voice broke off suddenly, of its own will. He mouthed the word 'mine', but it did not come out. Ed looked concerned.

"They hit you, you know," he said. "Clubbed you on the head. I thought you were going to die." As he spoke, he reached for the cup again, and pressed it to Leo's mouth. The archer gratefully accepted the drink. Ed continued. "It was all I could do to beat them back before they killed you."

"W…won't they be after you too, now?" Leo asked. He was slightly amazed that this lone swordsman had been able to stand off a whole group of fighters. If he recalled correctly, his arrows had only killed one.

"It doesn't matter. I couldn't have just stood there and watched them kill you."

"How did you do it? Y-you're… only one person…"

"I'm not too sure myself. I just knew I had to do something."

Leo opened his mouth again, but Edward hushed him. "Stop talking and rest. You're still weak," he said. "Once you get better, we'll leave."

"Where will we go?" Leo asked softly.

"To Nevassa. We're going to see if we can't cause enough trouble that Beginion will decide to leave."

"B…but… one person… can only accomplish… so much…"

Edward smiled. "Well, there are two of us now."

* * *

**THE END! Hope you guys enjoyed that. Let me know of any suggestions you have, critiques are always welcome, and praise wins you cookies. XD Thanks for reading!**


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